Cotton-lap-dyeing machine.



w. F. 00x.

COTTON LAP DYEING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 3. @916.

Pat entedl Feb-5,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES;

W. F.-COX.

COTTON LAP DYEING MACHINE.

APPLICATION men APR.3.1915.

Patented Feb. 5, 19118.

BY 9 5 ATTORNEYS WILLIAM FRANKLIN COX, OF DANVILLE, VIRGINIA.

COTTON-LAP-DYEING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters .Patent.

Application filed Apri13, 1916. Serial No. 88,646.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that l W ILLIAME F. Cox, a citizen of the United tates, and a resident of 'Danville, in the county of Pittsylvania and State of Virginia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Cotton-Lap Dyeing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The invention has for its purpose the provision ofapparatus for treating fabric such as cotton lap, wool or other material in the form of felt, sheet or layer, such apparatus embodying two beams, one of which is adapted to have the fabric wound thereon and the other being adapted to receive the fabric as the same is unwound from the companion beam, such beams being adapted to be positively driven, with the result of first winding the fabric upon one beam and then upon the other.

'llhe invention contemplates a tank or vat for receiving a solution or bath, tracks leading into and through the tank or vat, one or more tracks for receiving the beams, and actuating mechanism for said beams for alternately rotating the beams in opposite directions for winding the fabric thereon, and means for causing the trucks to pass through the tank or vat, whereby the fabric is subjected to the action of the bath, and a simultaneous compressive process whereby the air is expelled from the interstices, thereby providing for certain penetration of the solution or bath, which 1s essential to the thorough and effective treatment of the fabric in the operation of the mechanism and in the carrying out of the invention.

The invention furthermore aims to provide an apparatus which in its general organization is comparatively simple and embodies a minimum number of parts, and which may be operated at a minimum expense, and which insures a positive and certain attainment of the desired object in the treatment of the fabric.

With the ends in view substantially as hereinbefore indicated, and with such other objects as appertain to the nature of the invention, the latter consists of the novel features and details of construction and combinations of parts which hereinafter will be more particularly set forth, illustrated in the drawings hereto attached, and subsequently claimed.

While the drawings illustrate the preferred embodiment of the invention, nevertheless it is to be understood that in meetlng existing conditions various changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the nature of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of an end portion of a tank or vat showing two trucks in position therein, one of such trucks being in elevation and the remaining truck in longitudinal section.

Fig. 2 is a detail view of an end portion of the tank or vat showing a portion of the track associated therewith.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows, such view being on a larger scale.

Fig. 4 represents an enlarged view in section taken through the gear 17 of Fig. 3 in a plane perpendicular to the paper, showing the clutch means which are used between the worm gears and the shaft on which they are mounted.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description, and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The tank or vat 1 is oblong and comparatively shallow, and its ends slope upwardly at an inclination to provide for proper entrance and exit of the trucks hearing the fabric to be treated. The tank or vat may be of any substantial structure and of suitable dimensions according to the capacity of the apparatus as a whole.

A track 2 extends along the bottom and inclined ends of the tank, as indicated most clearly in Fig. 1, and this track may be of any formation to form a. substantial support for the trucks and give proper direction thereto in their travel to and from the tank, as well as through. such tank. T0 pre vent any possible displacement of the trucks, the track comprises upper and lower companion rails which embrace the upper and lower portions of the supporting wheels 3 of the truck. The rails comprising the track are preferably of 'i" form and are disposed with their vertlcal wings or flanges in alinement, so as to enter the grooves in the edges of the wheels 3, as indicated most Patented Feb. 5, tail.

clearly Fig. 3. The track is spaced a suitable distance from the bottom and inclined ends of the tank, to prevent contact of the parts with the walls of the tank in the operationof the apparatus.

It is to be understood that a plurality of trucks are provided and the same are caused .tolpass into, through and out from the tank and 7 constitute in effect bearings for the respectivebeains S and 9, thereby providing for the variable diameter of the rolls as the fabric is wound upon one beam and unwound from the other beam, and vice versa. The slots 6 and 7 are open at their upper ends to admit of placing the beams in position or removing them from the truck. The Width of the slots 6 and 7 corresponds approximately to the diameter of the journals "of the beams, thereby preventing play of such beams in a direction at a right angle to the length of the slots or open ended bearings.

Roller beds areprovided at opposite ends.

of the truck and'areadapted to receive and support the beams 8 and 9, and the fabric wound thereon and constituting the rows. The roller beds are indicated generally at A and .13, each consisting of a. pair of rollers disposed transversely of the truck in spaced parallel relation. The space formed between each pair of rollers is such as to receive the beam 8 or 9 and retain the same in proper position. One roller of each pair of rollers comprising the roller beds, is posis tively driven, thereby imparting a positive rotation to the beam supported by the roller bed so as to wind the fabric or goods thereon. V

A compressing mechanism or device, is

. disposed intermediate of the roller beds to subject the fabric or goods to compressive force when traveling from one beam to the other, the purpose being to expel all air from the interstices of the fabric to insure the penetration of the solution or bath provided for treating the fabric according to the result to be attained. In the preferable construction the compressing mechanism comprises two rollers 10 and 11, the same being disposed in vertical alinementand adapted to have the fabric or goods pass between them. One of the compressing. rolls- .lhemompressing rolls 10 and 11 and is supported by plates 12 which extend between ad acent rolls of the roller beds and compressing mechanism. As shown most clearly in ldig. 1, the supporting plates 12 oppositely incline.

As hcreinbefore stated, the parts to be positively driven are adapted to be operated by any suitable motive force and for this purpose each truckis equipped with a motor of any design. As indicated, the motor is of the electric type and it is preferred to equip each truck with two motors 1.3 and 14-, which are adapted to operate in reverse directions. A counter shaft 15 istransversely disposed and mounted upon the upper por tion of the frame, and is geared to each of. the motors 13 and 14. so as to be positively driven in reverse directions, whereby first one beam 8-, then the other beam 9 is positively rotated to wind the goods thereon. The motors 13 and 14: may be geared to the counter shaft 15 in any manner. As indi cated, a worm gearing connects the shaft of the motor with the counter shaft 15. This worm gearing comprises a worm l6 and a worm gear 17, the worm 16 being mounted upon the shaft of the motor, and the worm gear 17 mounted upon the counter shaft 15. Suitable clutch means is interposed between each worm gear 17 and the shaft, so that when the shaft 15 is driven in either direction by one motor, it will not affect the other motor which, for the time being, is idle. The counter shaft 15 is geared to one of the compressing rolls and the latter in turn is geared to one of the rollers of each of the roller beds A and B. As shown, a sprocket wheel 18 is secured to each end of the counter shaft- 15 and a sprocket chain 19 connectsthe sprocket wheel 18 with a sprocket wheel 20 secured to the journal of the compressing roll 11. Any suitable means may be employed for driving the roller beds, and in the present embodiment a sprocket chain 21 connects a sprocket wheel 22 fast upon the journal of the compressing roll 11 with sprocket wheels 23 upon the journals of the near rollers of the roller beds A and B. By this means positive movement is transmitted from either one of the motors 13 and 14: to the compressing mechanism, and to the roller beds.

The fabric or goods to be treated is indicated at 24 and is wound upon one of the beams 8 or 9, and in the operation of the apparatus is unwound from such beam and wound upon the remaining beam. This operation is repeated for any number of times until the desired result is effected, that is the fabric or goods is unwound from one beam and wound upon the other in alternation, and during the passage of the fabric from one beam to the other it is at the same time subject to compressive force whereby the air is expelled from the meshes or interstitial spaces, for the purpose hereinbefore specified.

In the operation of the invention the solution containing a dye or chemical or other substance constituting. the bath to which the fabric is to be subjected, is supplied to the tank or vat 1 to the desired depth so as'to immerse the fabric. The trucks are supplied with the beams, one of which has the goods wound thereon to be subject to treatment. Opposite ends of the fabric or goods is secured to the beams 8 and 9, so that when one of such beams is positively rotated, the good will be wound thereon and unwound from the other beam. This operation is repeated any number of times until the desired result is effected. During the transmission of the fabric from one beam to the other, it is simultaneously and continuously subjected to compressive force by means of the compressin mechanism, whereby the air is expelled from the meshes or interstices, thereby providing for proper penetration of the bath into the goods so as to hasten the result and insure a thorough treatment and subj ecting of all parts of the fabric to the treatment of the bath. If desired the trucks may be moved slowly through the tank, the movement being so timed as to govern the length of treatment. It will thus be understood that the trucks may be regulated so as to pass continuously through the tank or vat there by providing for the delivery of the trucks containing the goods which have been treated and the entry of trucks containing the goods to be treated, with the result that an apparatus is provided which may be com tinuous in operation without requiring any stoppage in the operation for the removal of the goods which have been treated, and the placing of the goods in position to be treated.

It will be noted that the peripheral speeds of the positively driven rollers of the beds A and B, and of the positively driven compression roller, are the same, and since these rollers drive the beams by contact with the goods, the latter will be evenly wound from one beam to the other and vice versa without the occurrence of slack or wrinkles, irrespective of the fact that there may be a larger amount of material on one of the beams than on the other.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for treating fabric, the same comprising a tank for containing a bath, a truck adapted to pass into, through and out from such tank, beams mounted upon the truck and movable therewith, one

of such beams adapted to have the goods. to be treated wound thereon, and means for unwmdlng the goods from one beam and winding such goods upon the other beam.

2. An apparatus for treating fabric, the same comprising a tank, a truck adapted to pass into, through and out. from such tank,

eams mounted upon the truck, the one adapted to receive the goods to be treated and the other adapted to have the goods wound thereon, means for rotating the beams to unwind the goods from one and wind such goods upon the other beam in alternation, and a compressing mechanism disposed between the two beams for subjecting the fabric to compressive action in its transfer from one beam to the other.

3. In apparatus for treating material, a tank for receiving a bath, a truck adapted to pass into, through and out from the tank, beams mounted upon the truck, the one adapted to have the goods to be treated wound thereon, means for positively rotating the beams in alternation to unwind the goods from one beam and wind the same upon the remaining beam, and vice versa, andcomprising rolls mounted upon the truck at a point between the two beams to subject the goods to a continuous compressive force in its transfer from one beam to the other.

4.. In an apparatus for treating material, a supporting frame, two beams mounted upon the frame, each of said beams adapted to have material wound thereon and unwound therefrom and woundupon the other beam, a roller bed supporting each beam and including spaced rollers against which the beam is adapted to bear, a compressing apparatus through which the material passes, and means for positively driving the compressing apparatus and one roller of each bed in synchronism to unwind the material from one beam and to wind the same upon the remaining beam in alternation without subjecting the material to stress.

5. In an apparatus for treating material, the combination of a supporting frame, roller beds carried b the frame, beams sup ported upon the r0 ler beds, and adapted to be positively driven thereby to effect the winding of material upon one of the beams and an unwinding of material from the other beam, a compressing means including a driven roller disposed intermediate of the two beams for subjecting the material in its transfer from one beam to another to a continuous compressing action, and means for imparting positive rotation in a common direction at a common rate of speed to the roller beds and to the driven roller of the compressing means.

6. In apparatus for treating material, a supporting frame provided with vertically disposed bearings roller beds, beams mounted in the bearings and supported upon theroller beds and. adapted to be positively driven therebv and to have material Woundto efi'ect a movement of the material passing thereover in a direction conforming to the direction of travel or" the material, and at a speed commensurate with the speed of the material.

7. In an apparatusfor treating material, a supporting frame, beams carried thereby and adapted to have material Wound alternately from one beam to the other, roller means for supporting the beams and for imparting. rotation thereto, compression roller means arranged intermediate the first said roller means for compressing the material, and means whereby the first said roller means and the compression roller means will be driven for moving the material over-the said roller means and over the said compres- Copies-of. this patent may be. obtained forfive cents each, byaddressing the 'truek'a-dapted' to pass into,

sionmeans ata common rate ofspeed and'in a common direction.

8. An apparatus for treating material, comprising tank for containing a bath, a through, and out of the tank, and means carried by the truck for exposing the material to the bath contained in the tank and for compressing the material While Within the bath.

9; An apparatus for treating material, comprising a tank for containing a bath, a traekway in the tank, a truck mounted for movement through the tank 011 the trackway, means on the truck for exposing goods to the bath and for compressing the goods in the bath, and means on the truck for driving the last said means.

10. An apparatus for treating material, comprising a tank for containing a bath, a truck movable through the tank, means carried by the truck for exposing goods to the bath in the tank, and means carried by the truck for operating the last said means.

WILLIAM FRANKLIN COX.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

